Yikes! Hurricane Irene!

[3113]

On it's way and heading for NYC!

New York officials preparing for Hurricane Irene this weekend will decide tomorrow whether to call for the evacuation of low-lying areas in downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

More here.

East Coast Aher's please keep in touch whenever it hits and let us know you're okay. And here's your song.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

No problems here.

It might get in the way of my kung fu lesson on Sunday, but that would be it.

 

[R. Richard]

The latest TV forecasts think that Irene will make landfall a bit West of Cape Hatteras. However, hurricanes go where they want. Keep in touch those of you in NC and good luck.

 

[trysail]

The Second Fleet has already put to sea.


Folk are pulling their vessels in an abundance of caution; there's a good possibility that many will spend an anxious weekend either worrying about their vessels or tending lines.


It's on with the foulies and the damned sea boots.

 

[sr71plt]

We're taking in evacuating relatives from the coast. With luck, all we'll get here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge is a lot of rain, which we would welcome.

 

[lovecraft68]

No problems here.

It might get in the way of my kung fu lesson on Sunday, but that would be it.

I have a demonstration on Sunday and the kid I'm sparring against really is a kid-at least to me he's 23- . It's full contact and he has a chip on his shoulder

I received short notice and not quite ready so I've been telling myself for 2 weeks that age and treachery will always win over youth and enthusiasm.

Now if the storm happened to cancel and buy me a coupe of weeks well that would just suck!

 

[jomar]

Earthquakes and hurricanes...can a political thread be far behind?

 

[lovecraft68]

Earthquakes and hurricanes...can a political thread be far behind?

Only if someone feels that Obama brought on the hurricane and earthquake. I think if you head on over to the GB you will find someone blaming him for it at some point.

I mean I know he's weakened the foundation of the country but still....

Yeah, okay bad attempt at a political joke.

 

[3113]

Earthquakes and hurricanes...can a political thread be far behind?

Presumably a religious one, but no one here tends to post those. Fundies are already blaming the earthquakes on gay marriage, they'll probably point out the hurricane, too.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

We're taking in evacuating relatives from the coast. With luck, all we'll get here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge is a lot of rain, which we would welcome.

A withdrawal to the Blue Ridge? Very prudent, that man!

 

[TE999]

Irene, at this time, swirls 150 mi off the Space/Treasure Coast, whupping up on the Bahamas. We've had some rain bands and gusty winds move through, but that's about all. It appears the Wilmington, New Bern, Cape Hatteras area will bear the initial brunt of landfall, at which time Irene will be a Cat 3 (115+ mph) storm. Stay safe you NC people and if the authorities say bug out, do so.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Coastlines are wonderful places to live but they do have their price!

 

[3113]

The latest!

Oh. Joy. A "nightmare":

A monstrous Hurricane Irene tightened its aim on the Eastern Seaboard on Thursday, threatening 65 million people along a shore-hugging path from North Carolina to New England. One of the nation's top experts called it his "nightmare" scenario. The Category 3 storm with winds of 115 mph — the threshold for a major hurricane — would be the strongest to strike the East Coast in seven years, and people were already getting out of the way.

All eyes were on Irene's projected path, which showed it bringing misery to every city along the I-95 corridor, including Washington, New York and Boston. The former chief of the National Hurricane Center called it one of his three worst possible situations. "One of my greatest nightmares was having a major hurricane go up the whole Northeast Coast," Max Mayfield, the center's retired director, told The Associated Press.
He said the damage will probably climb into billions of dollars: "This is going to have an impact on the United States economy."

 

[voluptuary_manque]

It sure will. It will pry money out of skinflint insurance companies and put idle construction workers back on the payroll. Will it blow a few Wall Street bankers out of shattered windows? One can hope . . . .

 

[sr71plt]

It sure will. It will pry money out of skinflint insurance companies and put idle construction workers back on the payroll. Will it blow a few Wall Street bankers out of shattered windows? One can hope . . . .

Unfortunately, just as folks around here are finding that they didn't have earthquake insurance, lots of folks on the East Coast don't have hurricane insurance.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Oh jeez!

 

[sr71plt]

Oh jeez!

Jeez is right. But after the third time we've replaced somebody's million-dollar mansion on the Outer Banks beach, I think it's about time to tell him "no" on an insurance policy.

 

[trysail]

You can watch in "realtime."

http://buoybay.noaa.gov/locations/first-landing.html

http://buoybay.noaa.gov/locations/gooses-reef.html

http://buoybay.noaa.gov/

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/plot_met.php?station=clkn7&meas=wspd&uom=E&time_diff=-4&time_label=EDT​

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=clkn7

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=41013

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/plot_met.php?station=41013&meas=wspd&uom=E&time_diff=-4&time_label=EDT

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Oh! Hiding out in the hills is worse than staying at the coast cuz them creeks cant handle the water, all of which flows down hill with force and velocity.

 

[jomar]

Presumably a religious one, but no one here tends to post those. Fundies are already blaming the earthquakes on gay marriage, they'll probably point out the hurricane, too.

We'll keep an eye out and see if the storm parts around Lynchburg, VA, Jerry Falwell's area. Did you know that Liberty University won the NCAA debate championship a year or so ago? They'll be sending those kids to DC in a few years...

 

[estragon]

And of course it's just possible that Irene, like her great-great-grandma Gloria of 1985, will snake like a curveball and miss NYC entirely. I remember Gloria--much wind-up and little baseball.

However, we will take no chances here. The Rector's Assistant at our Church sent out an APB to parishioners--don't show on Sunday if at all dangerous. Herself and i were scheduled to usher at the 11 a.m. service; but if no public transport, it will be problematic.

 

[PennLady]

I remember Gloria, too. I was living on a NJ barrier island at the time, and we taped up the windows and went to stay with my grandparents on the mainland. When we went back the next day, aside from one small sapling knocked over in someone's yard, it was no big deal.

We have left PA and are now in the Shenandoah Valley visiting my in-laws. Our debate is whether to return tomorrow or Sunday (we would stay until Monday if necessary, but we'd prefer to be back before that), so we are tracking.

My parents are in NJ, in Atlantic County. Cape May County (the whole county) has been evacuated, and portions of Atlantic County are under order as well, including the barrier islands, which includes Atlantic City. They have friends coming to stay for the duration.

Right now, in VA, you'd never know -- lots of sun and looks nice outside.

 

[Neonurotic]

The Second Fleet has already put to sea.


Folk are pulling their vessels in an abundance of caution; there's a good possibility that many will spend an anxious weekend either worrying about their vessels or tending lines.


It's on with the foulies and the damned sea boots.

Actually, out to sea past the storm, it's not all that bad in a big boat. Feel sorry for the battleships though. Lots of Dramamine and carrying trash bags for sick bags wherever the sailors go on smaller crafts. Still, there is more worry for land vs sea. Ships deal with rough seas all the time and their captains know what they're doing.

Hang in there guys, you'll be OK.

<--- rode many hurricanes and typhoons.

 

[3113]

New York City Evacuating!

Mandatory evacuation for the low-lying areas of Manhattan is underway.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg ordered a mandatory evacuation — something he said the city had never done before — of coastal areas in Brooklyn, Queens, including all of the Rockaways, and Staten Island, along with Battery Park City and the financial district in Lower Manhattan and Governor’s Island.

“You only have to look at the weather maps to understand how big this storm is and how unique it is,” the mayor said at a news conference, “and it’s heading basically for us.”

More here.

Darn gay marriage. First earthquakes now this.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Well, we're having an awesome time. 95 is awful; mix normal Friday traffic with a hurricane, parents heading back north after a double quick time college kid drop-off, and northerners cutting their vacations short, and you have good times on the interstate. We're going to try route 1.

We left a day early, so no hotel reservations. With so much of New York evacuated, we should have an awesome time finding a hotel in Jersey.